International
Johnny Depp refuses Whitey Bulger Biopic over salary dispute
MUMBAI: Johnny Depp has fallen out of Black Mass, Cross Creek and Exclusive Media‘s biopic of Boston gangster Whitey Bulger for director Barry Levinson, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter.
After Levinson sold the project softly at Cannes, the star was asked to cut his fee.
According to the sources, Depp was to be paid his usual quote of $20 million, but with sales of the project at Cannes on the soft side, producers were looking to trim the budget, in the high $60 million range. Deep and his reps at UTA refused when they were offered to take half. The situation came to a bottom line on Wednesday.
The movie was to have been Depp‘s follow-up to Transcendence, the sci-fi Alcon project he is currently shooting.
Though Cross Creek and Exclusive hope to salvage Black Mass by hiring another actor, it is unclear how Depp‘s exit will affect the involvement of Joel Edgerton, who recently became attached to play a disgraced FBI agent.
Depp will next be seen in The Lone Ranger, opening 3 July in North America.
International
Russia-India cinematic spectacle Persimmon of My Love set for grand Moscow debut
Hindi cinema style musical revives Indo-Soviet cinema ties for today
MUMBAI: A new chapter in cross-border storytelling is set to unfold as Persimmon of My Love gears up for its premiere in Moscow on 1 April 2026, marking the first large-scale cinematic collaboration between Russia and India in decades.
Positioned as a modern nod to the cultural exchange that once brought Indian classics to Soviet audiences, the film blends Hindi cinema flair with Russian storytelling, aiming to rekindle a long-standing cinematic friendship.
Directed by Marius Weisberg, the musical comedy follows two brothers navigating a lively world of music, family and romance. The lead roles are played by Demis Karibidis and Mikhail Galustyan, with Karibidis also contributing as a screenwriter.
Shot entirely in India, the production leans heavily into Hindi cinema style spectacle. Filming took place across Mumbai studios and the cities of Udaipur and Jodhpur, whose architecture was used to create the fictional setting of Khurmada. A crew of over 350 worked on the project, with large-scale sequences featuring up to 1,000 extras.
The film also brings Indian creative talent into the mix. Dance sequences are choreographed by Jay Kumar, while music by Zurab Matua features songs in both Hindi and Russian, adding to its cross-cultural appeal.
Backed by TNT channel, MyWayStudio and the Russian Cinema Fund, the project reflects a broader push to strengthen cultural ties between the two countries.
With its mix of colour, comedy and cross-border collaboration, Persimmon of My Love is not just a film release but a reminder that cinema, much like music, travels well across borders.
